First Wind has made the first payment to the Town of Oakfield, Maine, in the amount of $600,000 as part of a community benefit agreement related to a 148 MW wind project.

The developer began early construction on the wind farm in late 2013, and First Wind says the Oakfield project will provide $12 million in community benefit payments over the next 20 years. In addition, the company is scheduled to make about $15 million in tax payments over the next 20 years.

“We are pleased to make this initial payment, and we are looking forward to helping support and contribute to the business community in Oakfield and surrounding areas,” comments Paul Gaynor, CEO of First Wind, adding that the company is “committed to building partnerships in our project communities.”

Ninety percent of the funds from this first payment will be used for tax relief for town residents. Dale Morris, town manager of Oakfield, says, “From the beginning, we’ve wanted to ensure that Oakfield residents see the real benefits of this project.”

Major construction of the project is slated to start later this year, with a completion and generation date predicted for 2015. Vestas will supply the project with 48 units of its V112 turbines, each with a capacity of 3.075 MW.